FlatOut

FlatOut is one of the greatest arcade racers ever. As such, the game is frequently heralded as the first racing game of its kind, and it's most highly regarded in the genre's thriving circuits. It offers a total of six arenas to race on, and players choose from a mix of standard three-lap races, based on several different real-life courses.

The game offers seven tracks, each with four different weather conditions and objects, as well as a fourth track for players to race on. The three maps included in the game are a desert track, an Austrian track, and an urban track. They're all available from the get-go, and they're all set in new areas. The tracks are both rendered in high-resolution 3D polygons, which are appropriate for its gameplay, and the graphics are good. Some players will feel like they've entered a new race track, but the graphics and sound aren't bad either.

The game also features a variety of modes. There's a time trial mode, which allows players to beat any race with any unlocked car. Then there's a practice mode, which allows players to hone their skills in an arena race. There's also a second course, aptly titled Survival, where players have to reach a certain number of laps before time runs out. There are also boss characters, and although these don't appear in the standard race mode, they are very much alive. You'll find additional unlockables in the game as well.

Most of the tracks are set in the same geographic area, but all of the races feature a unique theme that's all about the layout and visual style. The tracks we raced in are surprisingly open, and all of the tracks look great. One thing that bothered us most about the gameplay was how the cars actually turn. Instead of walking up to a wall, we'd turn around to knock over it. This made racing difficult, as they had to navigate it to keep moving, though we did eventually stumble around an enemy car or other racers, so this didn't happen often. We also found the controls to be a little bit clunky when we switched gears. In addition, in the build that we played, there seemed to be a good amount of jankiness in the game, which definitely hurt the game's sense of speed.

Although the build we played was on a fairly solid Xbox, there was still some nagging in the textures. The car models looked fine and were more detailed, but the game was still just as slick as it looked. The frame rate, in fact, was significantly stuttery at times, which is still a worry to hear when driving on top of a hill. The texture quality also suffered a bit, so it seems like even the game's characters will run at a bit of a jerky 30 frames per second, which isn't a huge problem considering that the game is set in a California setting. The game also uses the Xbox's new rumble feature, which let you rumble your way through the asphalt without using any of the peripheral's two analog sticks. The game also uses the Xbox's improved online functionality, which will let you play online and on your own against people of similar skill level. Though the game will include support for Xbox Live, the implementation of this feature seems a bit tricky, since Microsoft isn't saying how.

The audio in the game is coming together quite nicely, and it has undergone some tweaks. While the music will be the star of the show, the core audio is going to be handled by Masayuki Kawamoto, who is serving as the soundtrack director for the game. The speech, delivered by Kawamoto, is being handled by various sound effects, such as tunes from the likes of Sugiura and composer Nobuo Uematsu. The game will also feature a certain level of accuracy, thanks to the Xbox's visual design, which is being improved by the Xbox's new wireless capabilities.

The graphics in the game will feature an eye-popping mix of familiar third- and first-person action sequences. You'll find the same basic set of moves, which will find you heading into battle, and the same approach taken in the original game. The basic set of levels has you going from area to area clearing waves of enemies as you fight them. You'll also be able to create a team of six fighters with a basic combination of primary and secondary weapons. The assortment of enemies you'll encounter will also feature a bevy of unique attacks. The first challenge is by taking out the boss. Once you defeat the boss, you'll unlock an optional bonus stage that offers a bit of combat action. You'll have a small assortment of characters to choose from, as well as different weapons and armor to use in the story mode. You'll find the usual assortment of meters that will let you use the various attacks in your arsenal.